Preparation  and 
Assignment  of  Lists 


Bulletin  III 
United  War  Work  Campaign 
for  $170,500,000 

November  11-18,  1918 


SERIES  OF  CAMPAIGN  BULLETINS 

I. 

Organization  in  the  City,  Large  or  Small 

II. 

Organization  in  the  County 

III. 

Preparation  and  Assignment  of  Lists 

IV. 

Victory  Boys 

V. 

Victory  Girls 

VI. 

The  Campaign  among  Students 

VII. 

The  Campaign  in  Industries 

vin. 

Publicity  Organization  and  Distribution 

IX. 

Meetings:  How  to  Plan  and  Conduct 

X. 

Campaign  in  Army  and  Navy  Camps 

XI. 

Collection,  Custody,  and  Forwarding  of  Funds 

XII. 

The  Precinct  Plan 

Issued  by  the 
OFFICE  OF  THE  DIRECTOR  GENERAL 
347  Madison  Avenue,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/preparationassigOOunit 


PREPARATION  AND  ASSIGNMENT  OF  LISTS 


THE  CARD  OR  LIST  PLAN 

This  pamphlet  gives  the  most  accurate  information  available  on  the 
list  plan.  In  the  United  War  Work  Campaign  it  is  agreed  as  a  na- 
tional policy  that  the  first  four  days  of  the  campaign  shall  be  devoted 
exclusively  to  the  canvass  of  lists.  Information  is  given  herein  on 
the  best  method  of  preparing  and  assigning  these  lists. 

It  is  not  only  an  important  point  of  honor  that  during  the  first  four 
days  of  the  canvass  solicitors  shall  confine  themselves  strictly  to  the 
names  that  have  been  placed  on  cards,  but  it  has  also  the  most 
important  bearing  upon  the  success  of  the  campaign.  Any  other  plan 
will  mean  that  prospective  givers  will  be  approached  for  amounts 
far  below  the  scale  upon  which  most  of  them  ought  to  give.  Further- 
more, very  many  earnest  canvassers  have  been  discouraged  and  dis- 
gusted in  time  past  by  making  a  visit  at  considerable  inconvenience 
to  a  man  whose  card  they  had,  only  to  find  that  some  other  canvasser 
who  had  disregarded  the  rules  and  who  did  not  have  the  man's  card 
had  been  there  in  advance  and  had  secured  a  minimum  contribution. 
The  penalty  in  every  case  of  this  kind  should  be  that  the  subscription 
thus  secured  be  credited  to  the  person  who  had  the  card,  no  matter 
who  secured  the  pledge. 

MAXIMUM  RESULTS 

It  is  of  vital  importance  that  where  such  a  tremendous  sum  is  to 
be  raised,  the  maximum  results  be  secured  from  every  person 
who  is  approached.  During  the  first  four  days  of  the  canvass  it  is 
imperative  that  all  workers  refrain  from  street  canvassing,  booths, 
benefits,  shops  and  factory  canvasses,  public  collections  and  all  mis- 
cellaneous canvassing  for  fear  that  large  prospective  givers,  not  being 
personally  seen,  may  give  small  sums  under  a  misapprehension  of 
the  scale  of  giving  required.  It  is  the  universal  experience  that  the 
team  plan  of  campaign  indicated  in  this  pamphlet  is  the  most  suc- 
cessful in  securing  large  contributions. 

THE  LAST  TWO  DAYS 

The  last  two  days  of  the  canvass  will  give  full  scope  to  the  great 
variety  of  methods  whereby  no  one  is  permitted  to  feel  that  he  has 
been  excluded. 

A  special  pamphlet  will  be  issued  on  the  complete  popular  canvass 
or  so-called  precinct  plan.    In  this  supplementary  pamphlet  we  shall 


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suggest  that  the  various  number  of  smaller  contributors  necessary 
to  the  success  of  the  campaign  be  secured  by  a  wide  extension  of  the 
team  plan  during  the  last  two  days  of  the  campaign  into  factories  and 
trades,  to  labor  unions  and  fraternal  organizations  and  especially  to 
residential  sections  of  the  city  through  an  organization  known  as 
the  precinct  plan. 

IMPORTANT 

Almost  without  exception  the  canvass  of  the  lists  of  men  and  women 
of  largest  financial  possibilities  should  be  made  by  the  business  men 
of  the  community. 

The  work  of  the  women  will  be  no  less  important  in  making  very 
largely  the  canvass  in  the  precincts  and  the  residential  sections  of  the 
community,  which  may  also  be  made  from  lists. 

It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  as  of  major  importance  that  it 
endangers  the  success  of  the  Campaign  if  these  methods  of  general 
canvass  begin  before  the  canvass  of  the  lists  be  completed.  It  is 
therefore  well  to  reiterate  that  they  should  be  confined  to  the  last  two 
days  of  the  Campaign. 

LISTING 

To  make  the  campaign  a  success  it  is  positively  necessary  that  we 
follow  the  list  plan  for  the  first  four  working  days  of  the  Campaign. 
It  is  necessary  that  during  that  period  we  secure  the  bulk  of  the  large 
contributions.  These  are  secured  by  working  systematically  with 
carefully  prepared  lists,  which  should  be  obtained  from  all  sources  in 
the  community.  Each  of  the  seven  organizations  which  have  com- 
bined in  this  Campaign  will  have  lists  to  be  incorporated. 

These  lists  should  be  copied  first  on  the  combined  information  and 
pledge  card.  Names  should  be  secured  from  lists  of  former  subscribers 
to  various  funds,  from  club  rosters,  from  Dunn's  and  Bradstreet's  and 
from  telephone  directories.  The  cards  should  be  alphabetically  ar- 
ranged as  prepared. 

Be  Sure  That  Addresses  Are  Accurately  Given  and  Clieck  Over  Care- 
fully to  Prevent  Much  Unnecessary  Trouble  to  Canvassers. 

When  the  list  of  names  has  been  completed  on  cards,  they  should 
be  copied  on  sheets  of  paper  eight  and  one  half  by  thirteen  and  three 
quarters  inches,  written  on  a  typewriter,  triple  space  with  a  margin 
of  two  and  a  quarter  inches  on  the  left-hand  side. 

After  the  list  is  in  complete  alphabetical  order,  each  card  should 
be  numbered  with  a  blue  pencil  as  follows:  Al,  A2,  A3;  Bl,  B2,  B3; 
CI,  C2,  C3,  and  so  forth,  until  all  the  cards  are  numbered.  This  will 
enable  the  cashier  to  put  the  cards  in  order  quickly  when  returned 
by  the  solicitor  after  securing  the  pledge. 

The  United  War  Work  Campaign  Committee  should  appoint  a 
committee,  preferably  credit  men  of  the  leading  banks,  to  go  over 

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the  cards  and  make  an  estimate  of  the  amount  each  person  might 
reasonably  be  expected  to  give  if  seen  under  the  most  favorable  con- 
ditions. This  cannot  be  done  with  every  card  or  person,  but  should 
be  done  w^ith  those  who  can  give  in  substantial  amounts. 

It  is  important  to  make  these  estimates,  because  the  United  War 
Work  Campaign  is  a  national  affair  requiring  the  largest  sum  of 
money  that  has  ever  been  raised  by  voluntary  subscriptions  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  People  generally  do  not  know  how  to  appraise 
themselves  in  such  a  vast  enterprise.  Business  men  nowadays  do 
not  object  to  being  asked  for  a  definite  amount  on  a  scale  which  in 
the  judgment  of  a  general  committee  is  required  if  so  large  an  amount 
is  to  be  secured.  In  most  cases  they  prefer  to  have  a  definite  amount 
suggested.  This  kind  of  work  has  been  done  in  all  recent  successful 
campaigns  for  various  objects  with  a  great  degree  of  success.  One 
of  the  most  prominent  business  men  in  the  latest  Red  Cross  Campaign 
emphasized  this  method  of  asking  for  definite  amounts  as  the  most 
important  factor  in  his  wonderful  success. 

It  is  suggested  that  in  approaching  a  man  for  a  definite  amount, 
some  such  introduction  as  the  following  be  used:    "In  securing  our 

allotrnent  of  $   the  Committee  has  carefully  studied  the 

situation  and  has  determined  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  

men  who  will  give  $   each.   The  Committee  wish  us  to  ask 

whether  you  will  not  be  one  of  the  subscribers  to  this  amount." 


MOVING  CERTAIN  NAMES  FROM  THE  LIST 

Before  the  lists  of  names  have  been  given  out  to  the  team  workers 
for  the  selection  of  names  as  hereinafter  indicated,  the  Committee  on 
Estimates  should  go  through  the  cards  and  remove  from  them  names 
of  those  persons  who  in  their  judgment  should  give  large  amounts 
and  who  should  be  solicited  by  the  members  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee or  by  individuals  to  whom  the  cards  may  be  assigned.  No 
card  should  be  withdrawn  in  this  manner  without  carefully  indicating 
on  the  left-hand  margin  of  the  sheet  the  symbol  Ex.,  indicating  that 
the  Executive  Committee  will  make  the  solicitation. 

The  Campaign  will  be  conducted  on  the  team  system  throughout 
the  entire  country,  as  indicated  below  in  this  pamphlet. 

After  the  team  Captains  have  been  secured,  as  indicated  later  in 
this  pamphlet,  there  should  be  distributed  to  them  one  week  prior 
to  the  Campaign  a  form  on  which  they  can  submit  thirty  to  fifty 
names  of  firms  and  individuals  whom  they  wish  to  canvass,  together 
with  an  amount  which  they  think  it  will  be  possible  for  them  to  secure 
from  these  firms  and  individuals.  This  indicating  of  amounts  is 
important,  because  it  will  guide  the  Committee  in  many  cases  in  their 
choice  of  the  best  available  men  to  make  the  approach.  These  requisi- 
tion sheets  should  be  in  the  office  of  the  United  War  Work  Campaign 
not  later  than  Thursday,  November  7th,  so  that  they  can  be  checked 


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up  with  the  Usts  of  cards  in  the  office  and  all  duplicates  be  eliminated. 

The  Committee  on  Estimates  will  then  assign  names  listed  m  requi- 
sition sheets  of  more  than  one  team  worker.  u    •  i„^cr 

The  assignment  card  will  be  given  to  the  worker  who  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Committee  on  Estimates  can  best  deal  with  each  case. 

As  indicated  later  in  this  pamphlet,  the  first  few  hours  of  the  actual 
campaign  will  be  given  up  to  the  canvassing  of  these  names  that  have 
been  indicated  in  the  requests. 

NUMBER  OF  WORKERS  NEEDED 

The  United  War  Work  Campaign  Executive  Committee  of  a  school 
district,  village  or  city,  should  determine  how  many  workers  de- 
voting themselves  earnestly  to  the  task  from  November  11th  to  18th 
will  be  required  to  make  a  thorough  canvass  of  the  lists.  In  the 
smaller  communities  or  school  districts,  from  one  to  ten  teams  of 
ten  men  each  will  be  required,  one  of  whom  will  be  the  Captain. 
In  the  larger  communities,  teams  of  nine  men  and  a  captain  will  be 
organized  with  from  ten  teams  to  several  hundred  teams,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  city.  In  making  up  the  teams  the  constituency  of 
none  of  the  seven  agencies  which  have  combined  in  the  Campaign 
should  be  overlooked. 


TEAM  CAPTAINS 

The  team  Captains  should  first  be  selected. 

The  Executive  Committee  should  prepare  a  most  select  small  list 
of  the  best  availa'.)le  men  of  the  community  for  Captains  of  teams. 
These,  so  far  as  possible,  should  be  men  of  executive  ability  and 
popularity,  and  with  iniluential  circles  of  friends. 

The  Executive  Committee  should  then  select  from  this  list  the 
number  of  Captains  of  teams  of  ten  workers  that  will  be  required 
to  canvass  the  lists  thoroughly  in  four  days. 

When  the  Captains  have  been  selected,  they  should  in  conference 
together  prepare  a  list  of  names  of  the  best  available  workers  to  make 
up  the  membership  in  their  teams.  Naturally  the  more  influence, 
enthusiasm,  and  salesmanship  ability  these  men  possess,  the  better 
will  be  their  daily  reports.  In  conference  the  Captains  should  select 
the  men  whom  they  wish  for  their  teams.  Captains  then  assume 
the  full  responsibility  for  securing  the  acceptance  of  their  teammates. 

In  larger  communities  each  group  of  ten  teams  is  usually  made  a 
Division  with  a  Division  Leader. 

PRELIMINARY  GIFTS  AND  THE  LARGER  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

To  be  completed  between  October  25th  and  November  8th. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  Executive  Committer  secure 
from  the  list  that  has  been  reserved  for  them  as  indicated  above  a 


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few  of  the  larger  subscriptions  in  advance  of  the  Campaign,  to  set  a 
fairly  high  standard  of  giving.  These  large  advance  subscriptions 
should  in  most  cases  be  announced  on  the  opening  day  of  the  Cam- 
paign to  inspire  confidence  and  enthusiasm. 

OPENING  EVENT  OF  CAMPAIGN.  FRIDAY.  NOVEMBER  8TH 
The  Campaign  will  open  nationally  with  a  very  important  dinner 
attended  by  the  entire  team  organization  on  Friday  evening,  Novem- 
ber 8th.    Every  member  of  every  team  should  be  in  his  place  at  a 
table  reserved  for  his  team  at  this  opening  dinner. 

SELECTING  NAMES 

At  the  opening  dinner  there  should  be  one  or  two  very  brief  inspira- 
tional talks,  after  which  the  Committee  should  go  to  work  selecting 
from  the  lists  prepared  in  advance  additional  names  to  be  canvassed. 
The  program  should  be  brief  to  allow  ample  time  for  selecting  names. 
For  this  purpose  the  lists  should  be  divided  into  the  number  of  sections 
corresponding  to  the  number  of  teams.  One  part  of  the  lists  should  be 
laid  on  each  table  to  remain  there  while  the  team  goes  over  it,  selects 
the  names  of  the  people  whom  the  team  selects  to  see,  and  marks 
the  number  of  the  team  before  each  name  chosen. 

At  the  end  of  five  minutes  all  the  lists  will  be  passed  along  and 
each  team  will  have  a  second  choice  from  each  list  passed  into  its 
hands.  Then  the  lists  are  passed  again  and  again  until  each  team 
has  been  through  all  the  divisions  of  the  lists. 

It  is  important  that  the  teams  do  thorough  work  on  these  lists  at 
the  opening  dinner,  taking  practically  all  the  names. 

The  method  of  indicating  that  these  names  have  been  taken  is  as 
follows:  Mark  distinctly  on  the  left-hand  margin  of  the  lists  the 
number  of  the  team.  At  the  same  time  the  numbers  are  put  on  order 
blanks.  These  order  blanks  are  given  to  the  office  force,  which  will 
at  once  withdraw  the  cards  and  return  them  to  the  team  captains 
on  the  following  morning. 

Members  of  teams  will  think  of  names  that  are  not  on  the  lists. 
Requisition  blanks  will  be  provided  on  which  these  names  may  be 
written  by  the  team  members.  If  they  have  not  already  been  taken, 
they  will  be  assigned  to  the  man  making  requisition  for  them. 

The  National  Campaign  agreement  is  that  the  first  four  days  of 
the  six  working  days  must  be  occupied  exclusively  in  getting  the 
largest  possible  subscriptions  from  the  names  that  have  been  listed. 
The  last  two  days  may  then  be  devoted  generally  to  securing  a  great 
number  of  small  subscriptions  under  the  precinct  plan. 

TEAMS'  PERSONAL  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

The  team  workers  should  by  all  means  make  their  own  subscriptions 
at  the  opening  dinner  of  the  Campaign.    This  makes  an  impression 


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upon  the  community  such  as  nothing  else  will  do.  The  personal 
subscription  of  the  canvasser  has  a  marked  effect  in  preparing  him 
for  the  business  of  soliciting  from  other  people.  It  is  impossible  for 
a  worker  to  exert  much  influence  if  he  has  not  himself  made  his  largest 
possible  sacrifice.  It  is  a  great  talking  point  to  say:  "Before  our 
teams  started  out  to  ask  anybody  else  they  themselves  subscribed 

a  total  of  $  " 

Each  team  worker  when  he  has  secured  a  pledge  or  contribution 
should  mark  plainly  his  own  name  on  the  assignment  pledge  card  on 

the  line:    "Obtained  by   ,"  together  with  his  team 

number. 

CASH  PAYMENTS 

As  a  matter  of  accountancy,  if  the  pledge  is  paid  in  full  clip  the 
check  on  the  back  of  the  card  and  write  across  the  face:  "Paid," 
together  with  the  date  of  payment. 

If  only  partial  payments  are  made,  the  amounts  should  be  en- 
dorsed on  the  back  of  the  cards  in  the  space  provided  for  the  endorse- 
ment. In  case  of  cash  subscriptions  given  anonymously,  a  card  marked 
"anonymous"  should  be  made  out  for  check  collected  and  the  check 
clipped  on  the  back  of  the  card  and  marked  on  the  face  "Paid." 

IF  DECLINED 

In  case  the  canvasser  is  unable  to  secure  a  subscription  the  assign- 
ment card  bearing  the  person's  name  should  be  turned  over  at  the  next 
noon  report  together  with  a  report  of  the  interview  written  under 
"Remarks." 


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